Welcome to Wherever You Are
by perfectromanceinmymind
Summary: Jackson/April, post-"Migration" bar scene. One-shot.


**Okay, so I know that this is totally _NOT_ how it will go on the show because, unlike me, Shonda and co were totally blessed with the ability to create and write angst but me, I just want everything to turn out okay. So here is my little piece of post-ep comfort fic. Set immediately following the bar scene at the end of "Migration." Title is from the Bon Jovi song of the same name. It's kind of exactly what April needs to hear right now.**

**Hope you like - please let me know!**

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"April!"

At the end of the sidewalk, April froze, squaring her shoulders before turning to face the man calling after her.

"For God's sake, Jackson," she snapped, "What part of leave me the hell alone did you not understand?"

Jackson winced at her words but hurried down the sidewalk to catch up with her anyway. "Maybe I don't want to leave you alone!" he snapped back.

April rolled her eyes so hard that for a second he was almost worried they'd roll right out of her head. "Look, I'm sorry if you feel guilty or, or – somehow – I don't know, think you're responsible for this but it's not your fault. I screwed up. So I don't need you being nice to me to heal your conscience or whatever. And like I said, I _don't want your pity_!"

"It's _not_ pity, April," Jackson protested and she scoffed in response.

"Yeah? Really?" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "So, what, you were about to kiss me because you actually _wanted_ to?" She shook her head before muttering, "Yeah freakin' right."

Jackson laughed, a little bitterly. "Yes, I _wanted_ to! You've known me for how many years? Do you really think I'm the kind of guy who goes around kissing girls he just feels sorry for? Or has sex with them, for that matter? That is not me!"

"Why did you have sex with me, anyway?" April asked, sounding a little calmer as genuine curiosity pushed aside her anger and irritation for a minute.

Jackson blinked. "Because I wanted to, I guess. Because I got caught up in the adrenaline and the rush of that moment. Because," he said slowly, his voice trailing off for a moment, "Because when you kissed me, it just suddenly felt so –"

"—So right," April finished the sentence quietly.

"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "And it's kinda been all I can freaking think about since then and whether there could maybe be something real between us or if it was just a one-time – well, two-time – fluke or what! And you won't talk to me about it and I know you've got all kinds of crap going on and I know it sucks and –"

His voice was rising louder and louder as he said all this and he suddenly realized that April was staring at him in sort of a slack-jawed silence and then he cut himself off in midsentence.

"And it just sucks," he finished in a lame mumble and April nodded dumbly, still staring at him. "Sorry," he added, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall of the bar. "I didn't mean to start yelling."

April shook her head. "No – I – it's – okay." She sighed. "I mean, I've been thinking – wondering about some of that too – I just have – slightly more pressing concerns at the moment."

Jackson nodded. "I know. I get that. I just – I want to be there for you. Support you. Help you figure out what to do next."

April finally cracked a slight smile at that. "That's great and all – but there's not much I can do, is there? I have nothing left."

Jackson shook his head. "That is not true," he said firmly. "You still have an MD. You can still practice medicine. And you'll retake the boards and you'll pass."

"Yeah, but not for another year," April replied glumly. "What do I do until then?"

"You study. You find a private practice to work for. Or a clinic. Hell, didn't you say you worked at a summer camp in college? You could be the camp nurse for the summer if you wanted to." His face turned serious as he said, "You could come with me."

April looked startled. "What, to New Orleans? Are you crazy?"

Jackson shrugged. "Or LA – I still haven't decided. And I'm totally serious."

April laughed shortly. "Seriously crazy."

Jackson grinned. "Yeah, I know it sounds a little crazy. But, whatever you decide to do, whether you come with me or not, you still have me. You will always still have me in your corner. We've been through way too much together for me to not be there for you now."

April sniffled, blinking back a few tears. "Thank you. And I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just –" she gestured helplessly, unable to find the right words.

Jackson shrugged, taking a tentative step closer to her. "It's okay. I totally get it."

April nodded, taking a few gulping breaths of air, before shaking her head again and swiping a hand across her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, a few tears spilling over. "I'm a mess…"

"It's okay," Jackson said softly, taking another step forward and closing the gap between them before putting his arms around her. She stiffened just slightly before relaxing against his chest, crying in earnest now.

"I just don't know what to do," she managed to say and he nodded, feeling helpless, not knowing what else to do but to hold her while she cried.

"I don't know either," he finally said, "but if you'll let me, we'll figure it out together."

It seemed like forever before he finally felt April nod and heard her whispered "okay."

It was a start.


End file.
